1. Technical Field
The present invention relates to a printing system and an order-sheet-based batch printing method.
2. Related Art
In recent years, multifunction machines in which a printing function and a scanner function are integrated have been widely used. The multifunction machines can be used as printers, scanners, and copiers. In addition, the multifunction machines can perform direct printing of image data stored in a medium such as a memory card or a compact-disc read-only memory (CD-ROM) without using a host apparatus such as a personal computer. Methods for such direct printing include a method using an order sheet.
The order sheet has a list in index form of reduced images of the image data stored in the medium, and is also used as a mark sheet. In other words, by recording necessary information in the vicinity of each reduced image (that is, by blacking out a necessary portion in a mark area), images to be printed and the number of copies to be printed can be selected. In addition, the order sheet bears printed patterns (check codes) for establishing correspondence with the image data stored in the medium. Accordingly, by setting the order sheet in a multifunction machine, the multifunction machine can use its scanner function to read information of the order sheet, can select corresponding image data items from the medium, and can use its copying function to print desired images (see, for example, JP-A-2005-117328, claims and an abstract).
However, the multifunction machine of the related art cannot collectively read a plurality of order sheets, and cannot print images on the basis of read information. In other words, the multifunction machine of the related art has a problem in that it must print images corresponding to pieces of information of order sheets while repeating a manual operation in which, with the multifunction machine, the first order sheet is read and images corresponding to information of the read order sheet are printed and in which the following order sheet is read and images corresponding to information of the read order sheet are printed.
Accordingly, in a case where, after order sheets are distributed to a plurality of users and each user is allowed to select necessary images, the order sheets are collected and images are printed on the basis of the collected order sheets, it is cumbersome to repeat the manual operation in units of order sheets, as described above. In addition, it is assumed that different types (such as a size) of printing paper are selected in units of order sheets. In such a case, it is cumbersome to change the types of printing paper in units of order sheets.